
Mechanical Drafter at Allen Control Systems (Austin, TX)
Allen Control Systems· Austin, TX·
Role details
Competitive Salary · ACS Equity Package · Health Insurance · Dental Insurance · Vision Insurance · Paid Time Off
Allen Control Systems at a glance
Defense-tech startup building Bullfrog, an autonomous robotic weapon station that uses AI and computer vision to shoot down drones at a fraction of the cost of missiles.
ACS builds Bullfrog, an autonomous weapon station that mounts a common service machine gun and adds passive optical sensing, machine-vision tracking, and AI fire control to detect and neutralize hostile drones. A human authorizes every shot. The pitch is battlefield economics: driving the cost-per-kill of a drone down to as low as ten dollars.
$242M raised · latest: Series B · $200M · 2026 · backed by Smash Capital, Craft Ventures, Rally Ventures, Inspired Capital
Summary
The Mechanical Drafter supports the engineering team by creating detailed mechanical drawings, 3D models, and documentation for autonomous defense systems. This role involves translating engineering concepts into manufacturable designs, maintaining accurate documentation, and collaborating with cross-functional team...
Job description
Company Overview ACS (Allen Control Systems) is a defense technology company building precision robotic systems for the United States and its allies. Founded by two former U.S. Navy electrical engineers with deep experience in robotics and software, ACS brings together AI, computer vision, precision motion, and advanced hardware to solve complex defense challenges across land, air, and maritime environments.
Our flagship product, Bullfrog, is an autonomous precision weapon system that transforms existing weapons into highly accurate counter-drone systems — giving warfighters a scalable, cost-effective response to one of the fastest-growing threats on the modern battlefield. Bullfrog is deployed with U.S. forces, and ACS works with organizations throughout the U.S. military and national security community.
Following a $200 million Series B at a $2.2 billion valuation, ACS is rapidly expanding manufacturing, accelerating Bullfrog deployments, and developing the next generation of autonomous battlefield systems. This is an opportunity to join a proven, fast-moving team and help scale technology with direct, real-world impact on national security.
ACS is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with additional operations in Alexandria, Virginia; Mountain View, California; and Huntsville, Alabama. For more information, visit allencontrolsystems.com allencontrolsystems.com.
About The Role: We are looking for a Mechanical Drafter to support our engineering team in developing detailed mechanical drawings, 3D models, and documentation for our autonomous defense systems. This role will focus on creating and maintaining accurate design documentation, ensuring drawings meet manufacturing requirements, and supporting engineers throughout the product development process. You'll play an important role in translating engineering concepts into clear, manufacturable designs.
What You'll Do:
- Create and revise detailed mechanical drawings, 3D models, and assemblies in SolidWorks for manufacturing.
- Develop and maintain accurate drawing packages, BOMs, and part libraries.
- Support mechanical engineers by converting design concepts into clear and precise technical drawings.
- Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and embedded teams to ensure mechanical designs integrate properly with system components.
- Assist with design revisions, prototyping efforts, and documentation updates during product development cycles.
- Apply drafting standards, GD&T, and tolerancing practices to ensure manufacturable and production-ready designs.
- Maintain organized documentation and ensure drawings follow internal engineering standards and revision control processes.
- Work with fabrication and assembly teams to resolve design issues and support production.
What You'll Need:
- Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Drafting, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Electrical Engineering Technology, or a related field.
- 2+ years of experience drafting in a mechanical/electrical engineering environment.
- Proficiency with SolidWorks for mechanical modeling and drafting.
- Familiarity with GD&T, mechanical tolerancing, and drafting standards (ASME Y14.5).
- Understanding of mechanical assemblies, fasteners, and electro-mechanical systems.
- Ability to interpret engineering concepts and translate them into accurate technical drawings.
- Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills.
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment.
You'll Stand Out:
- Experience supporting hardware development in defense, aerospace, robotics, or industrial equipment.
- Hands-on experience supporting rapid prototyping or prototype builds.
- Exposure to configuration management systems and PLM tools.
- Experience with 3D printing or rapid prototyping technologies.
- Prior work in a startup or high-velocity engineering team.
What We Offer:
- Competitive salary
- ACS Equity Package
- Health, Dental, Vision Insurance
- Paid Time Off
Allen Control Systems is an Equal Opportunity Employer, providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Allen Control Systems prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
Why work at Allen Control Systems
- Mission: Directly contribute to protecting soldiers and changing the economics of drone warfare.
- Culture: Described as a remote-friendly organization with a strong engineering focus; HQ in Austin with a satellite office in Alexandria.
- Work Model: Remote core, but many roles require on-site presence in Austin for manufacturing and testing.
- Growth: Hyper-growth stage – employees have significant ownership and impact.
- Tech Stack: State-of-the-art tools: PyTorch, CUDA, Unreal Engine, ROS, Linux, Docker, Git, MLflow, and more.
- Team: High density of talent from SpaceX, Firefly, DoorDash, Lockheed Martin, and Carnegie Mellon.
- Perks: Not publicly detailed; typical for defense startups include competitive compensation, equity, and a chance to work on cutting-edge hardware-software integration.